NEW YORK — The Mets have developed an interesting habit over the past five years. They keep signing players who used to wear Yankees pinstripes. Some worked out. Others flopped badly. A few barely registered at all. The Yankees have essentially become a farm system for their crosstown rivals.
Devin Williams is the latest example. The reliever signed a three-year, $51 million deal with the Mets this week after posting a career-worst 4.79 ERA with the Yankees in 2025. He joins a growing list of former Bronx arms and bats who have crossed town to Queens.
The question now is whether the Mets are making smart bets on bounce-back candidates or simply getting fooled by familiar names. The evidence suggests the answer is not so simple.
The Yankees to Mets pipeline has exploded recently
Since 2021, the Mets have acquired at least 14 players who previously wore Yankees uniforms. The headliners include Juan Soto, Luis Severino and Clay Holmes. The supporting cast features names like Adam Ottavino, David Robertson, Gary Sanchez and Cameron Maybin.
Not every move has been a disaster. Some actually worked. But others fell flat in spectacular fashion. The Mets remain on the hook for $17 million to Frankie Montas in 2026 even though he underwent Tommy John surgery in September after posting a 6.28 ERA in nine appearances.
Montas never recovered from his rough Yankees tenure in 2022. He posted a 6.35 ERA in eight starts after arriving at the trade deadline. The Mets signed him anyway last offseason for two years and $34 million. It backfired badly.
Now they are betting on Williams under similar circumstances. He struggled in New York. He lost the closer job multiple times. He finished strong with four scoreless postseason appearances, but the overall numbers were ugly.
Some former Yankees thrived in Queens
The track record is not all bad. Several ex-Yankees delivered real value after crossing town to join the Mets. The Yankees connection actually helped in some cases.
Severino made the transition look easy in 2024. The former Yankees ace went 11-7 with a 3.91 ERA over 182 innings. He struck out 161 batters and stayed healthy all year. He even pitched well in the postseason with a 3.24 ERA. It was his best season since his dominant Yankees run in 2018. However, he left declining a qualifying offer in 2024 offseason.
Clay Holmes converted from Yankees closer to Mets starter in 2025 and handled the change well. He went 12-8 with a 3.53 ERA over 165 innings. He led the Mets in starts and provided durability they desperately needed.
| Player | Yankees Performance | Mets Performance | Why Successful? |
| Brandon Drury (INF) | .176 AVG, .528 OPS | .274 AVG, .783 OPS (2021) | Career turnaround began in Queens; elite pinch-hitting. |
| Billy McKinney (OF/1B) | .226 AVG, 1 HR | .220 AVG, 5 HR, 14 RBI (2021) | Power breakout and steady playing time. |
| Adam Ottavino (RHP) | 2.85 ERA (solid) | 2.06 ERA (2022), 3.21 ERA + 12 SV (2023) | High-leverage ace; best work since his Rockies peak. |
| Tim Locastro (OF) | .179 AVG, 8 SB | .232 AVG, 6 SB (2023) | Better hitter + perfect steal efficiency. |
| Luis Severino (RHP) | 3.79 ERA (elite peak years) | 11–7, 3.91 ERA, 182 IP (2024) | Full comeback season, durability restored. |
| Frankie Montas (RHP) | 6.35 ERA, injured | ~4.47 ERA (2024) | Health and command improved after leaving NYY. |
| Juan Soto (OF) | .313 AVG, .963 OPS, 35 HR | 43 HR, .921 OPS, 120 R, 38 SB | Equal superstar output; more power with Mets. |
| David Robertson (RHP) | Yankees legend, 2.75 ERA | 2.05 ERA, 14 SV (2023) | Excellent closer during Díaz injury; elite again. |
Ottavino revived his career with the Mets in 2022. He posted a sparkling 2.06 ERA over 66 games as a setup man. He re-signed for 2023 and recorded 12 saves with a 3.21 ERA. His two-year run in Queens was arguably better than his time with the Yankees.
Robertson filled in brilliantly as closer in 2023 when Edwin Diaz got hurt. He posted a 2.05 ERA with 14 saves in 44 innings. The Mets traded him at the deadline, but his half-season in Queens was excellent.
Brandon Drury transformed from Yankees bust to Mets hero in 2021. He hit .274 with a .783 OPS and became the best pinch-hitter in baseball that season. His walk-off single on July 31 was a highlight of the year.
Other ex-Yankees flopped hard with the Mets
Not everyone adjusted to the other side of town. Some former Yankees stars cratered badly after signing with the Mets. The Yankees experience did not translate.
Cameron Maybin had been a fan favorite with the Yankees in 2019. He hit .285 with an .858 OPS and provided a major spark. With the Mets in 2021, he hit .036. That is not a typo. He went 1-for-28 before being released.
Gary Sanchez made three forgettable appearances in 2023. He went 1-for-6 and was quickly designated for assignment. The All-Star catcher from his Yankees days was nowhere to be found.
| Player | Yankees Performance | Mets Performance | Why Considered a Failure? |
| Stephen Tarpley (LHP) | 5.88 ERA, serviceable depth | ∞ ERA (0 IP, 2 ER), One appearance and designated for assignment | Didn’t record an out; unusable. |
| Cameron Maybin (OF) | .285 AVG, .858 OPS (2019 fan favorite) | .036 AVG (2021) | One of the worst short stints in franchise history. |
| Joely Rodríguez (LHP) | 2.84 ERA (2021) | 4.47 ERA (2022) | Walks, inconsistency; declined immediately. |
| Chasen Shreve (LHP) | 3.92 ERA (multi-year depth) | 6.49 ERA (2022) | Home-run issues; DFA’d quickly. |
| Gary Sánchez (C) | .230 AVG, 115 HR, .808 OPS | .167 AVG (3 G) | Zero impact; extremely brief, unproductive. |
| Clay Holmes (RHP → SP) | 2.50 ERA, 54 SV (dominant closer) | 3.53 ERA as starter (2025) | Solid pitcher, but far worse than Yankees version. |
Chasen Shreve had been useful with the Yankees from 2015-18, posting a 3.92 ERA over 239 games. With the Mets in 2022, he imploded. His ERA ballooned to 6.49 before they released him in July.
Joely Rodriguez posted a 2.84 ERA with the Yankees in 2021. He went to the Mets in a trade and put up a 4.47 ERA in 2022. The control issues that plagued him in the Bronx got worse in Queens.
Stephen Tarpley allowed two runs without recording an out in his only Mets appearance. He spent most of 2021 on the injured list and contributed absolutely nothing.
Soto remains the biggest gamble of all
The Mets bet $765 million that Juan Soto would become their franchise cornerstone. So far, the early returns are promising. He hit .263 with 43 home runs and a .921 OPS in his first season with the Mets. He also stole 38 bases and won his sixth Silver Slugger award.
But the Mets finished 83-79. They missed the playoffs. Soto’s individual numbers were excellent. The team results were not.
Soto had posted a .313 average with a .963 OPS during his lone Yankees season in 2024. He helped New York reach the World Series. His Mets numbers were slightly lower across the board even though he hit more home runs.
The contract runs through 2039. There is plenty of time for Soto to deliver a championship. But the Mets paid the largest contract in baseball history and still watched their crosstown rivals make a deeper playoff run with a cheaper roster.
| Category | Yankees (2024) | Mets (2025) | Comparison |
| Games Played | 157 | 160 | Nearly identical durability |
| Batting Average | .288 | .263 | Higher average with Yankees |
| On-Base Percentage | .419 | .386 | More walks + plate discipline in NYY |
| Slugging Percentage | .569 | .525 | More power efficiency with Yankees |
| OPS | .989 | .921 | Higher overall production in NYY |
| Home Runs | 41 | 43 | More raw power with Mets |
| RBIs | 109 | 105 | Nearly identical run production |
| Runs Scored | 128 | 120 | Less runs created with Mets |
| Stolen Bases | 7 | 38 | Huge speed jump with Mets |
| OPS+ | 179 | 160 | Higher adjusted performance in Yankees environment |
| WAR (approx.) | 7.9 | 6.2 | Less with Mets |
| Silver Slugger Awards | 1 | 1 | Won one with each club |
| Role in Lineup | No. 2 hitter, paired with Judge | No. 2 hitter, centerpiece of offense | Similar roles |
| Team Context | Yankees playoff push | Mets retooling year | Different lineup pressure |
Williams represents a familiar risk for the Mets
Analysts raised questions about whether the Mets are repeating their mistakes with the Williams signing. The parallel to Montas is hard to ignore.
“What’s the common denominator here? Adding a player who has shown in the past that they might not be able to handle pitching in New York,” one wrote.
Williams posted a 1.83 ERA with 68 saves during six seasons in Milwaukee. He was a two-time All-Star and won two NL Reliever of the Year awards. Then the Yankees traded for him. His ERA jumped to 4.79. He lost the closer job. He looked nothing like the dominant force he had been with the Brewers.
The Mets are betting that Williams can regain his form. They point to his strong underlying metrics despite the high ERA. They note his four scoreless postseason appearances. They highlight his connection to president of baseball operations David Stearns, who overlapped with Williams in Milwaukee from 2019-23.
“At first it was a challenge, but I’ve grown to love being here,” Williams said after the Yankees were eliminated from the playoffs. “I love this city. I love taking the train to the field every day.”
Those words did not stop him from signing with the Mets days later. Whether he can handle pitching in New York remains an open question. The Mets are paying $51 million to find out. The pipeline from the Bronx to Queens shows no signs of slowing down. The Mets keep believing they can fix what the Yankees could not. Sometimes it works. Sometimes it does not. Williams will reveal which category he belongs to soon enough. The Yankees will be watching from across town.
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